Ontario Premier Doug Ford said Thursday that he is serious about blocking energy exports to the United States if President-elect Donald Trump moves forward with plans to impose steep tariffs on Canadian products that could cripple the economy. He said he is working on it.
Speaking to reporters at Queen’s Park, Ford said Ontario sends electricity, mostly electricity, to 1.5 million homes in the United States, including in Michigan, Minnesota and New York. He said he would cut off that supply if President Trump follows through on his tariff threat.
“We send a message to the United States: You are coming to attack Ontario. You are attacking Ontario and the lives of Canadians. We will use every tool in our toolbox to protect Canadians,” Ford said.
Mr. Ford said he doesn’t want to fight with the United States and, in fact, wants to do more business with Americans.
He said cutting off power would be a “last resort” but would not hesitate to do so if Canada was unable to broker an agreement with President Trump.
“They are not our enemies, they are our allies,” Mr. Ford said of the Americans.
“You can’t roll over when you’re under attack.”
Premier Doug Ford recently threatened to cut off access to electricity from the U.S. state of Ontario if President-elect Donald Trump imposes tariffs, although he has not provided any specifics on how that would work. He did not specify, but said the statement demonstrated the government’s willingness to use all available means to protect Canada. living.
A senior provincial official told CBC News on background that the Ford government is also considering other retaliatory measures.
The official said Ontario would curb exports of critical minerals, exclude U.S.-based companies from the provincial government’s procurement process and block the LCBO, the world’s largest purchaser of alcohol, from purchasing U.S. alcohol. He said it was possible.
Data from Ontario’s Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO), the Crown corporation responsible for exporting electricity to the United States, shows how much of a loss it is for a province that relies on Ontario to power many homes and businesses. It’s clear what’s at stake.
According to IESO, Ontario will export 17,500 gigawatt-hours of electricity in 2022, with 9,068 gigawatt-hours going to Michigan and 4,823 gigawatt-hours going to New York. Another 275 gigawatts went to Minnesota. One gigawatt of electricity is enough to power 100 million LED light bulbs.
If Ontario were to cut off power, some U.S. states would be forced to source electricity from elsewhere, a potentially difficult proposition.
“This is hundreds of millions of dollars worth of precious energy that we couldn’t secure in just a few months,” said Stephen Lecce, Ontario’s minister of energy and electrification.
“It’s going to hit them harder than it will hit us, but we’re prepared to respond with a plan that will secure jobs and protect Canadian industry. If the U.S. gets there, we’ll step up the pressure.” You need to build a list of options to maximize it.
CBC News asked the governors of Michigan, New York and Minnesota to comment on Ford’s threat, but did not respond.
Ford said he plans to speak with Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and New York Gov. Kathy Hochul later Thursday. He said such dialogue had been planned for some time and was not prompted by the threat to halt energy exports.
Daniel Rosenbloom, a professor at Carleton University and an expert on Canadian climate policy and politics, said it’s possible for Ontario to generate less electricity from natural gas and send it to the United States.
“From a technical feasibility standpoint, these plants can be shut down. It doesn’t mean we have to shut down the reactors,” he told CBC News. “That amount could be reduced if necessary.”
Rosenbloom said he was concerned that such trade actions would cause “chaos”, although there was a possibility of retaliation through energy exports.
“I’m worried about escalation. If we’re not using honey to attract bees, are we going to get the response we expect if we go after Americans with sticks?” He added that he respects people, but also responds well to having his ego stroked.
Alexandra Mallett, a Carleton University professor and expert on sustainable energy and climate policy, said Ford is pursuing a “retaliation” approach to energy threats.
“It’s all about looking tough to President Trump. Ford is trying to tell Trump, ‘I’m a tough guy. Don’t mess with me. Don’t tear us down.'” she said. “And that might be a good thing.”
But he also said he was concerned that the trade war could escalate out of control. “There’s a lot of unpredictability in this situation,” she said.
While Ford threatens retaliation, Alberta Premier Daniel Smith is taking a different approach.
Smith told reporters at a border security announcement that Alberta would not “under any circumstances” suspend oil and gas exports to the United States.
Canada exported 4 million barrels of crude oil per day last year, 97 per cent of which went to the United States, according to federal data.
Alberta Premier Daniel Smith said under no circumstances would Alberta agree to halt oil and gas exports to the United States. Smith was asked what he thought about Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s threat to potentially cut off energy exports to the United States if President-elect Donald Trump imposes high tariffs.
The majority of these exports came from Alberta, with a value of $124 billion. Efforts to cut off these exports would be economically devastating for the state and the country as a whole.
“I do not support tariffs on Canadian and U.S. products. It will only make life more expensive. So instead, we will take a diplomatic approach. We will meet with our U.S. allies and We’re making the state’s case that ‘oil and gas is the answer to energy affordability, energy security, and defense security in North America,”’ Smith said.
But both Ford and Smith agree on one thing: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s comments that President Trump’s victory was a setback for women’s progress are “unhelpful” at a time of strained bilateral relations. It means “ta”.
Ford said he told Trudeau as much during his phone call with the prime minister last night. “Donald Trump was democratically elected, so it’s not our problem whether we like him or not,” Ford said.
Smith also said he didn’t like Trudeau’s comments. “It’s not helpful,” she said Thursday. “I think the American people voted pretty resolutely for the Republican Party and specifically for President-elect Donald Trump.”
“Women’s rights and women’s progress are under attack, both overtly and subtly, everywhere,” Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Tuesday, speaking at the Equal Voice Foundation gala in Ottawa. Ta.
Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland said Wednesday that premiers across the country are developing plans to respond to President Trump’s threatened tariffs, after Ford first laid out plans to cut those exports.
Freeland said they are identifying critical minerals and metals that states and territories export to the United States that could be subject to trade actions if President Trump implements his plan.
“We would be remiss in our obligations to Canada if we weren’t talking and thinking and working on how Canada would respond,” she said.
A spokesman for federal Natural Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson said he had nothing more to say than what Freeland said on Wednesday.
It’s unclear whether Ontario can unilaterally curb electricity exports or whether Ottawa’s approval is required. Under the Constitution, states and territories are responsible for the electricity systems within their borders.
Mr Ford, who also serves as deputy prime minister as president of the federal council, told Mr Trudeau and Mr Freeland last night that he wants the federal government to launch an advertising campaign in the US to deter President Trump from taking action. he said. His promised tariffs.
Ford said Ontario has already launched its own campaign, with TV ads expected to reach 100 million households in January.
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